1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ultrasound observation apparatus that performs ultrasound observation using a contrast medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, ultrasound observation apparatuses have been widely used which can acquire acoustic information on an interior of a subject in a non-invasive manner.
Furthermore, ultrasound observation techniques are also being developed which adopt a contrast imaging mode in which a contrast medium is injected or administered into a subject and movement of the bloodstream is imaged from ultrasound reflected by the contrast medium.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2011-254963 as a first conventional example discloses contents of an ultrasound observation apparatus that can perform observation using a contrast medium, configured to analyze a retention time period of the contrast medium from luminance information and display an ultrasound image classified using different colors in accordance with the analyzed retention time period to evaluate how the contrast medium is retained.
Furthermore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2009-28194 as a second conventional example discloses an ultrasound observation apparatus that includes contrast medium inflow start detection means configured to detect inflow timing at which a contrast medium administrated to a subject starts flowing into an image pickup region using B mode image information of the image pickup region of the subject and post-processing starting means configured to start post-processing which is done after the contrast medium starts flowing into the image pickup region (target region) in synchronization with the inflow timing, in which the apparatus automatically detects the inflow of the contrast medium into the image pickup region and controls the starting of a timer or the like.